The Eides discuss the visual-spatial strengths — many of these students are what we call GOLD Students -(TM) – Gifted Operating with a Learning Difference — for an assessment of their strengths and challenges visit our GOLD Student page.

Stealth dyslexia is form of hidden dyslexia. These highly intelligent or gifted children compensate for their dyslexia because they learn to rely upon their outstanding memory, keen intuition, and general smarts to work around their reading weaknesses. Stealth dyslexia often goes undetected until the child is in third grade or older and then starts to struggle with reading longer and unfamiliar words that are specific to science, health, and social studies. Subsequently, this interferes with reading comprehension.

Dr. Forgan than adds:

Strengths of Kids with Stealth Dyslexia

The above warning signs of stealth dyslexia are in stark contrast to the gifts where these children excel. Children with stealth dyslexia are often great builders because they have great visual-spatial abilities and strong 3D mental rotation. These children see the big picture. They have language strengths with oral language and have a rich vocabulary. Children with stealth dyslexia are often interesting to talk to and can carry on a good conversation because of their strong critical thinking and general fund of knowledge.

3D Learner Focuses on the Strengths of Students with Stealth Dyslexia

We have found that many gifted students with what one might call stealth dyslexia have a combination of learning differences and attention and/or eye-teaming issues.

If it appears your gifted child may have stealth dyslexia, we suggest you screen for:

– A learning difference

– An attention challenge

– Eye-Teaming issues

in addition to looking at the auditory and visual processing, working memory and processing speed challenges.

This is very different from the phonics-based orientation that focuses on a sound symbol problem that these students may have.

The advantage of assessing for a learning difference and attention and eye-teaming challenges are:

– If your child learns differently than a hands-on approach can help your child to understand the frequently used words, to recognize words seen and not mastered and to learn how to visualize what your child reads

– To the extend that attention challenge exists, you can address that with ADHD medication — or use tools like the Interactive Metronome (R) and Brain Gym (R) that we use

– Eye-teaming issues often significantly impact reading, writing and the ability to math — where it leads to silly mistakes being made.

Rather than treat Stealth Dyslexia and typical dyslexia, we recommend screening for a learning difference and attention and eye-teaming issues.

To learn more visit our GOLD student page, take our Success Assessment and call us at 561-361-7495.